About

Culturally safe experiences in educational settings are fundamental human rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. When we nurture environments that empower and uplift culturally safe experiences – we see individuals, communities and families flourish. Drawing on their collective personal and professional experiences, Belle (Noongar) and Jody (non-Indigenous) will share their insights and understandings of cultural safety and allyship-in-practice. Belle and Jody provide a broad framework to approach decolonising thinking and practice, using Indigenous led literature and reflective questions to unpack each step. While Belle and Jody’s perspectives are positioned as psychologists and will reference the forthcoming PsyBA Professional competencies for psychologists, many of the knowledges and approaches are relevant to disciplines and roles within the school system including counsellor, guidance officers, or student support. This presentation will emphasise the importance of knowing and being as vital starting place in decolonising journeys. Through centring Indigenous perspectives and demonstrating active critical allyship, Belle and Jody will embody decolonising practice throughout this one-hour presentation.

Bios

Belle Selkirk

BA (Hons), MPsych (Clinical Psychology)

Clinical Psychologist, Ahpra Board Approved Supervisor

Research Fellow, Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing

School of Indigenous Studies, University of Western Australia

Ms Belle Selkirk is a Noongar woman from the southwest of Western Australia. She is connected to her culture through her grandmother, Lyla Hume, who has been a strong role model in her life. She grew up on Wadandi boodja as a child, then relocated to Boorloo (Perth) as a young adult to study psychology. Belle completed her Bachelor of Arts (Hons) at the University of Western Australia, and Master of Psychology (Clinical) at Curtin University. She was the inaugural recipient of the APS Bendi Lango Bursary for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in 2007. Belle now has over 15 years post masters experience working in Australia and Canada (unceded Coast Salish Territory, Vancouver) in a variety of roles including Clinical Psychologist, psychotherapist, group therapist, supervisor, consultant, and researcher. As a Clinical Psychologist, Ahpra Board Approved Supervisor, and researcher, she aspires to contribute to the field of Indigenous psychology that creates impactful change and amplifies the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In Canada, she was part of a team of Indigenous women researchers who set out to empower the voices of First Nation women in health care policy and planning within Vancouver Coastal Health Authority. Belle is a Research Fellow for the Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing (TIMHWB) grant, and the Australian Indigenous Psychology Education Project (AIPEP). She has led several initiatives developing resources in decolonising psychology education and practice, including the recently launched Listening More: Embedding Cultural Safety in Supervision resources and the Indigenous Knowledges in Psychology collection with the Australian Journal of Psychology. She is the Associate Editor of the soon to be released first year psychology textbook Psychology: From Inquiry to Understanding 4e, that features a chapter on Indigenous Psychology, and embeds Indigenous perspectives throughout each study area in psychology. Her main areas of focus are Indigenous psychology, social-emotional-wellbeing, trauma and culturally informed therapeutic practices, and cultural safety. She has extensive experience in providing both short- and long-term psychotherapy, with a particular focus on social and emotional wellbeing, complex trauma, anxiety, depression, suicide prevention and suicide bereavement. Belle juggles her time between her family, being a mother, private psychology practice, and research. She is an active member of the Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association (AIPA).

Jody Kamminga

BA Psych (Hons), MClinNeuro

Clinical Neuropsychologist, Ahpra Approved Supervisor

Research Fellow, Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing, School of Indigenous Studies, University of Western Australia

PhD Candidate, School of Psychology, University of New South Wales

Jody is a non-Indigenous woman of British and Dutch descent. Trained as a clinical neuropsychologist, Jody is an Aphra Board Approved Supervisor and has worked in private practice, public health services and research roles for over a decade. Her clinical interests relate to developing and establishing best-practice and equitable neuropsychology services, with an emergent focus on decolonising practice. In 2020, Jody co-chaired the national neuropsychology conference in partnership with the Australian Indigenous Psychology Association (AIPA) which had a focus on decolonising neuropsychology and Indigenous psychology. Jody spent two years in a community role where she co-developed and established Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) services in the Fitzroy Valley (Bunuba Country). She has since returned home to Awabakal Country (Newcastle) to commence a PhD in decolonising neuropsychological practices with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, under Indigenous governance and partnership with AIPA. Her clinical work is also framed by this approach and includes neuropsychology assessment with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who intersect with the justice setting. Jody remains dedicated to advocacy at an individual and systems level. She coauthored a Bugmy Bar Book report on “Decision-making and emotional and behavioural regulation in 18 to 25-year-olds: A neurodevelopmental perspective” (forthcoming). Jody works alongside Belle Selkirk in the TIMHWB AIPEP project.

Date

Location

Online event access details will be provided by the event organiser

Contact Event Organiser